Bellator is on the road once again as the second co-promotion with RIZIN kicks off this Saturday. Bellator vs RIZIN 2 takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan this Saturday. The Bellator half of the card will air on Showtime at 11 pm ET.
Bellator x Rizin 2 Preview
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In the main event, former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull (24-11) is on a mission to regain his title. His ticket is going through the gauntlet in a 155 lbs. Grand Prix.
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He was set to start against the former featherweight champion A.J. McKee (20-1), who is actually his brother Patricio’s arch-rival.
Unfortunately due to a staph infection, McKee was forced to pull out of the bout and be replaced by Roberto De Souza (14-2), who ironically paired with Pitbull because De Souza’s only other fight in Bellator was a debut performance against McKee in a unanimous loss.
The Co-Main event of the evening is a history-making bout for Bellator Promotions as Kyoji Horiguchi (30-5) takes on Makoto Shinryu (16-1-1) for the promotion’s inaugural flyweight title.
Horiguchi is a former Bellator and RIZIN bantamweight champion who had desires of returning to 125 lbs. but the lack of a division made it impossible for that. Now with the title being officially brought into effect, Bellator will crown its first-ever flyweight champion.
